If you are providing care to someone who has undergone cataract surgery, there are a few simple things you should know so that you can provide the best possible care.

Immediately After Surgery

If you live with the person who has had surgery and will be involved in his or her care at home, the nurse or doctor's staff will mostly likely ask you to be present when he or she explains how the patient's eye should be cared for after surgery.

You will need to drive the person who has had the surgery home. He or she might still be under the influence of local anesthesia or, conversely, be extremely excited about his or her improved vision. Both of these reactions are normal.

If someone hasn't done so already, you will need to fill prescriptions for post-operative medications on the way home or shortly thereafter.

One Day to One Week After

The doctor will have most likely advised the patient that it is okay to resume light, everyday activities such as reading, writing, watching TV, and walking. It is important that the physical activity remain light; though your friend or loved one may be very excited about his or her new vision, he or she has just had surgery and should avoid strenuous activity, especially bending and lifting anything over 15-20 pounds.

The patient should not rub the eye that has just had surgery.

The eye should not come into contact with water, so bathing and showering should be done with the eyes closed. Swimming or hot-tubbing are not allowed.

The patient should continue to avoid wearing eye makeup to reduce chances of infection.

The patient should avoid sleeping on the side of their body where the eye is that has just had surgery.

Possible Complications

Complications with cataract surgery are fairly rare if the patient is in good health and has not had other serious additional eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy. Many complications, if they are going to occur, will occur during the surgery. If you are going to be providing care to someone who has just had cataract surgery, there are a few complications that could occur within a few days of surgery that you should know about.

Bruising or black eye. If an injection was used to numb the patient's eye, it is possible that there may be some bruising around the eye. This is temporary and will go away on its own.

Infection or endophthalmitis. Developing an infection after cataract surgery is extremely rare, occurring only once in several thousand surgeries(1). Most cataract surgeons administer antibiotic drops before, during, and after surgery to further minimize the risk of infection. Endophthalmitis, an inflammation of the eye triggered by infection, is also very rare and more common in people with conditions that compromise their immune systems, such as diabetes.

Inflammation. Swelling inside the eye that is unrelated to infection is usually minor and can be easily treated with anti-inflammatory drops after surgery.

Pronounced astigmatism. Sometimes swelling of the cornea or tight stitches (if stitches are used) can distort the shape of the cornea, causing astigmatism. Swelling will reduce during healing, and the astigmatism will generally go away on its own. Or if stitches were used, once they are removed, the cornea will usually relax back its natural shape.

Retinal detachment. This complication is much more likely to occur in people who are extremely nearsighted. Some physicians dispute that a detached retina can be considered a complication of cataract surgery at all, since people who are nearsighted are much more likely to experience this condition anyway. But should a cataract surgery patient begin to experience flashing lights, new floaters, the shading of vision from one side as though a curtain were being drawn, or rapidly deteriorating central vision, call the eye doctor immediately.

Learn more about possible complications.

The next day, the patient may need to return to the eye doctor for a post-operative check-up. You may wish to attend as well to drive and to be sure that both of you understand what to expect over the next few weeks.

Two Weeks and Beyond

Adjusting. Two weeks after surgery, the patient will most likely have fully recovered from the surgery, and the body's major task will be learning to be comfortable with their new vision. The brain must learn how to work together with the new intraocular implant(s) in order to provide optimal vision, so the patient will be adjusting and may feel a little frustrated. This is normal. One of the most important things you can do now and in the future is to provide positive support and encourage the patient to resume normal activity.

Return doctor visits. If the other eye needs cataract surgery as well, you will most likely be returning to the eye doctor with the patient for the other surgery at around the two week mark. It is important that the patient return to the doctor for the surgery on the other eye because it isn't until after both surgeries are complete that optimal vision is achieved.

If the patient had a monofocal lens or lenses implanted, then within one month after the final surgery the patient will be fitted for his or her new glasses or contact lenses.

Learn in more detail about the recovery process at two to four months or six months to one year.